1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device which sets a series of operation setting data at once, and an imaging apparatus using the solid-state imaging device.
2. Description of Related Art
As complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS) image sensors have become widespread, a timing generator(TG), an analog front end(AFE), a digital circuit, and the like, which are constructed as a separate chip in a charge-coupled device(CCD) image sensor, are integrated into one chip. With the one-chip construction, the CMOS image sensors become multifunctional, it becomes necessary to set operation settings, such as various mode transitions, image processing with high-function, and operation switching from low-speed to high-speed, by a large number of registers.
In a known operation setting, so as not to adversely affect the operation, the operation setting is performed as follows. For example, communication of the setting data is performed within a period whose start and end are defined in synchronism with starting pulse signals (a horizontal transfer pulse, a vertical transfer pulse) of frames (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-209149), since a setting change for accumulation time causes that an image is distorted unless the setting change is conducted at the frame start.
As a method of setting a timing for reflecting an operation setting, there are methods: one method (instantaneous reflection) in which the setting of registers is reflected instantaneously every time a register is set within a communication period as shown in FIG. 7, and another method (synchronization) in which the register setting is held until the end of a communication period and reflected in synchronism with an update timing by a pulse signal, as shown in FIG. 8.